A reader brought something to my attention. She said if I was really getting better at asking for help, how come I haven’t asked you all to vote for ProjectHappilyEverAfter.com in the 2010 Best Marriage Blogs competition. She’s right. Please cast your vote. It will make me happy if you vote for me, and it will make you happy to know that you’ve made me feel happy. That’s why I asked you to do it.
While I’m asking for favors, I’d also like you to take a poll. You see, I have about 60,000 words that I sliced out of Project: Happily Ever After. It may be true that I work as a book collaborator for a living and, as a result, it also may be true that I am quite efficient at writing books. I was not efficient at all when I wrote this book. I wrote 120,000 words. Then, thanks to the advice of a good friend and editor, I deleted about half of those words. Actually I probably deleted more than that. I have files stuffed into all sorts of folders on my computer that are labeled things like “cuts from PHEA,” “more cuts from PHEA,” “today’s cuts from PHEA” and so on. Somewhere in those files is a long riff about my husband’s love of lamb. Somewhere else there’s a section about why I think Jon Stewart is hot. There’s a story about my menstrual flow. Oh, there’s a lot of bad writing that should truly never been seen by a living eyeball.
But, you see, words are precious to me. I savor them—even when they make no sense. More important, I have this strange need to have others savor them, too, even when I know the words are hopelessly boring, off topic, silly, and just dang bad.
So I’ve been thinking about running a series of these really boring and bad outtakes. This series would last one or two weeks—or whenever you all beg me to stop. I might call it: “The Words That Didn’t Deserve To Be Published, Not Even On the Internet” series. I would run around Christmas and New Year’s. That’s when no one goes on the Internet because people generally have better things to do like spend time with their families, watch football games, and play with new gadgets. It’s also the time when my daughter will be off from school, so it’s either this series or I write something else that is just as bad because I’m distracted by my food coma and kid who wants to play with me.
Folks, it’s your call. You get to decide. Would you like outtakes or newly created bad writing? Or would you like me to take 10 or so days off? Take the poll and let me know your thoughts.
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m really giggling, here, because I thought I was the only writer who got separation anxiety about portions cut from my work. Maybe we need a self-help book for getting rid of the crap that doesn’t deserve to see the light of day?
Vera Marie Badertscher´s last [type] ..Best New Travel Books
Vera Marie–I could be called: “Writers Who Loved Words Too Much” … oh, this could be a fun post for someone with a writing blog.
I plan on hibernating between Christmas and New Years. But you and my bestest friend are the exception to the hibernation rule. So blog if you feel like it or not.
Or here’s an idea, since a lot of us will be reading your book. Each day ask us what we’ve read and to write about what we learned/how we can apply it/etc. There. You don’t have to “work” during that week, but you still keep in touch with us.
And you get all the kudos you so love. And we so love giving you.
How about “Readers Who Loved Words So Much They Would Even Read Ones That Writers later Shunned!” Where would you rabid writers be without us rabid readers. We are the ones that read every plack in the museum holding everyone else behind us up, we are the target audience for your writing out takes and on the week most of us have off we will probably go through at least a book a day. Last Saturday I read two books in a series that I thoroughly enjoyed and was sorry to see end.
Ray and I both voted.
Whoever voted for “Nothing” must be more interested in you enjoying your holidays and they must really want you to take some much needed time off. I can’t imagine any other reason why they’d want you to write nothing.
WOW!! I voted like 89% of the others. I think I see a trend going here
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Truthfully what I would like from you is whatever YOU want to do. If it is crawl under a warm blankie with the hubby & kid then do that. If it is posting new stuff then do that. If it is sending the kid away with garndma (she is a groovy grannie ya know..lol) while you & the hubby have hot passionate monkey sex, then do that. Oh but if you do that one, video it so those of us not “getting any” can live vicarously through you..HA! Just kidding, I do crack me up.
If you decide to take the time off it would be well deserved. You have made a real difference in the lives of others here & deserve some “me time”. Don’t worry, while we will suffer from PEHA withdrawl I promise we will get by & just appreciate it all the more when you return.
P.S. This one did make me giggle too. Not being a writer 60,000 words seems HUGE but in truth not that much. It’s like when I was in Korea for a month with the Air Force. I went shopping & asked the shopkeeper how much? The reply was something like “75,000 wan”. At first you think DAMN…..For a Pair of tennis shoes? Then you realize that’s like 10bucks..LOL
Keep on Rockin
Ron
I’ll be busy at winter camp the week after Christmas, but if I do get a chance to check my favorite marriage blog, I’m really hoping that those outtakes will be there waiting for me.
LeAnn´s last [type] ..Adventures in Medicine – Part 5 The Neverending Story
Oh yea, I almost forgot. Between Christmas & New Years I will be glued to all the College Football Bowl Games. Typical man huh?..LOL Truth is I rarely ever watch the NFL games on T V but am a college football fanatic. So write away. If I miss it I will be like Leanne & just catch up after the games.
Keep On Rockin & GO GAMECOCKS!!!!
Ron
I am all for cut parts of your book. I also voted for you as the best blog.
Voted for your blog in the best marriage blog competition. And the only reason I voted for you to post nothing in between Christmas and New Years is because I think you deserve some time off girlfriend! But hey, I would enjoy reading the cut parts of your book too!
Now I’m really curious about the words that didn’t make the cut. . .I’m kinda nosey like that. I would *love* to read the outtakes but I think you should take a week (or more) off to hang with your family and enjoy the holidays. So that’s why I voted for “nothing”. No guilt, that’s my gift to you.
Yes, sorry, didn’t mean to be offensive. I did vote for you to do nothing over your holiday break because you really deserve some time off! Then give yourself an extended break by posting the outtakes at the start of the New Year.
And speaking of which, I got a notice from Amazon that your book is shipping to me early so I’ll have it in time for Christmas. Woo hoo! That’s what I’ll be doing over my break.
Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!! You made the top 10!!! # 7 to be exact, but you’ll always be #1 in my book! Time to add another banner to your awards section on the right side toolbar! That new green banner will look so nice next to the orange one from last year!
http://www.themarryblogger.com/marriage/the-top-10-marriage-blogs-of-2010/
CONGRATS ALISA!!!
Congratulations Alisa! All the positive karma you have been sending out into the world is coming back to you. We are all enriched because you do what you do.
I vote for you to rest up during the holiday since January will be so full of promotion. Spend the time with your hubby and daughter. We can wait patiently for your return, and I bet many of us will be reading and rereading your new book over Christmas anyway!